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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · bass · game · stock · calf · lie · season · patient

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — goods
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. game — a match
  5. saw — the tool
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. season — of the year
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bass — low music
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — shares
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. game — wild animals
  22. season — in sport
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com